Container with an improved pour spout



Dec. 10, 1968 J. J SKILLMAN 3,415,439

CONTAINER WITH AN IMPROVED POUR SPOUT Filed June 7, 1967 3 Sheets-$hee1 1 'ENTOR. JACK J. S'K/LLMA/V 5i PEA/DLETO/V, NEUMA/V SE/BOLO 8 WILLIAMS ATTORNEYS Dec. 10, 1968 J. J. SKILLMAN CONTAINER WITH AN IMPROVED POUR SPOUT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1967 INVENTOR. JACK J. .SK/LLMA/V BY PE/VDLETOM IVE'UMA/V SE/BOLD 8 WILL/4M5 ATTORNEYS Dec. 10, 1968 J. J. SKILLMAN 3,415,439

CONTAINER WITH AN IMPROVED POUR SPOUT Filed June 7, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 73 Fig. 9

Fig. /5

2 INVENTOR.

JACK J SK/LLMAN 82a BY PE/VDLETON, NEUMAW SE/BOLD 8 W/LL/AMS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3 415,439 CONTAINER WITH Al IMPROVED POUR SPOUT Jack J. Skillman, 727 E. 60th St., Chicago, Ill. 60637 Filed June 7, 1967, Ser. No. 644,391 13 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A boxlike container having an improved pour spout at one top corner thereof, the spout being in the shape of a trigonal bipyramidal hexahedron, one triangular side of which is open and is disposed over a triangular opening in the top panel of the container. Two of the three tetrahedral angles of the spout include a respective one of the base angles of the triangular opening and one of the trihedral angles includes the apex angle of the said triangular opening. At least one of the side faces forming the third tetrahedral angle of the spout body is apert-ured, and the spout body is pivotally movable from an upwardly extended position for discharge of the contents of the container through said aperture and a retracted position wherein one of the side faces extends across and closes the triangular opening in the container, and the other faces extend downwardly therefrom and overlie portions of the adjacent side panels of the container body.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a container carton for holding fluid material, the carton being provided with an improved pour spout which when in use facilitates the pouring of the fluid material from the carton and when not in use is folda'ble downwardly along the side walls of the carton so that the carton has a flat top and resembles a regular rectangular hexahedron. Container cartons with the improved pour spout may be used as dispenser packs for most fluid materials, i.e., liquids, granules, flakes, etc. and for such varied products as milk, syrups, spices, condiments, toiletries and lubricating oils, to name but a few. The design of the fiat pour top carton permits easy stacking and efficient packing of the cartons. The carton is so designed that the entire structure may be formed from a single substantially rectangular paperboard blank. Thus, the structure does not require additional parts or assembly operations for providing the pour spout.

Pour top milk cartons are commonly formed from a single blank of paperboard material, but the top is usually peaked with the pouring spout being formed into one side of the peaked top. This type of structure is very reliable as evidenced by its wide use on the market, but the provisions of the pour spout results in a structure which is not stackable and which is somewhat inefficient insofar as the utilization of space is concerned.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fiat-top stackable carton having a novel and effective pouring spout which may be opened and then reclosed to a position which will permit the carton to be restacked. The structure eliminates the deficiencies of the prior art, provides an etficient utilization of space, permits accurate pouring, and may be formed from a single substantially rectangular blank of paperboard or other material.

Summary 0 the invention panel at one corner. The base of the triangular opening,

extends diagonally across the corner of the box forming a pair of base angles with the sides of the box; the apex of the opening is at the corner of the box. A second hollow member or pour spout is attached to the first member at the corner, and this spout is in the shape of a trigonal bipyramidal hexahedron formed of six equal isosceles triangular sides of the size of the opening in the boxlike first member. One side face of the spout member is open and is coincident with the triangular opening in the first member, and the three adjacent side faces of the spout are joined to the opening-defining portions of the first member.

Two of the three tetrahedral angles of the spout member respectively include one of the two fbase angles of the triangular opening in the first member, and one of the trihedral angles of the spout includes the apex angle of the triangular opening. At least one of the side faces forming the third tetragonal angle of the spout member is apertured so that the contents of the boxlike first member may pass therethrough when the container carton is inverted.

The spout is hinged for pivotal movement between an upwardly protruding or extended position and a downwardly extending or retracted position, the pivotal axis being about the hinged connection between the spout member and the first member at the base line of the triangular opening in the top panel of the first member.

When the spout member is in its extended position, the three side faces thereof which are attached to the openingdefining portions of the first member, extend upwardly from the plane of the top panel, and when the spout member is in its retracted position, the side face thereof which is hinged to the top panel at the base line of the triangular opening extends across and closes the opening in the plane of the top panel, and the other faces of the spout body extend downwardly therefrom and overlie portions of the adjacent side panels of the first member. These downwardly extending faces of the spout body may be releasably attached to the underlying first member side panels, and if desired a tear tab may be employed to facilitate initial separation.

A further understanding of the invention will be obtained by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings With reference to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a paperboard blank from which a container carton constructed in accordance with this invention may be formed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the blank of FIG. 1 showing the first step of setting up the container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the blank showing the second stage of setting up the container;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the blank showing the third stage of setting up the container;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the blank showing the fourth stage of setting up the container;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the blank showing the finishing of the folding of the blank to form the container;

FIG. 7 shows a portion of the completed container with the pour spout in the retracted position and showing a tear tab for facilitating the initial opening of the pour spout;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the container showing the pour spout in its extended position;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a blank from which may be formed a pour spout constructed in accordance with this invention, the pour spout being attachable to a corner of a boxlike carton;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the blank of FIG. 9 showing the first folding step in order to form the pour spout;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the partially folded blank showing the second step in forming the pour spout;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the third step in the folding and forming of the pour spout;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the fourth step in the folding and forming of the pour spout;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the final step of folding the blank of FIG. 9 to form the pour spout; and

FIG. 15 shows the completed pour spout after it has been formed from the blank of FIG. 9 and mounted in place on a boxlike container body.

Description of the preferred embodiment With further reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a blank, preferably formed of paperboard or other fiexible material, from which a container carton constructed in accordance with this invention may be formed. The carton formed is a standard boxlike body having a rectangular hexahedron configuration and includes four hingedly connected side panels 30, 32, 34 and 36 and an attaching side fiap 36a for uniting the structure into a tubular box configuration. The bottom of the tubular box or carton is closed in the usual manner by three overlapping bottom flaps 38, 39 and 40 and an attaching flap 40a. The bottom flaps are hinged to their respective side panel but are not connected to each other.

The top portion of the blank includes the top panel 42 and the top flap 44 for closing the top of the tubular box or carton, and it further includes an attaching flap 45 serving to attach the top panel 42 to the side panel 36 and side flap 36a, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The spout is formed by the five hingedly connected triangular panels 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54 and a pair of attaching fiaps 55 and 56. The triangular spout panel 46 is connected to top panel 42 along a hinge line 57 which extends along the base of the panel 46, and panels 50 and 52 are hinged to the side panels 32 and 34 respectively. An opening 51 is provided in panels 50 and 52 for reasons which will be hereinafter explained.

In FIG. 2 the blank is shown folded along the vertical hinge line 58 between the side panels 30 and 32 i and the vertical extension of this hinge line between the spout panels 46 and 48. These respective panels are shown disposed at approximately right angles with respect to one agpther.

In FIG. 3 the top panel 42 is folded over at approximately 21 right angle with respect to the side panel 30, and the top panel 42 carries with it the attaching flap 45. In this folding operation the spout panels 50, 52 and 54 are folded outwardly at approximately right angles with respect to the side panels 32 and 34, and the spout panel 48 is folded over spout panel 50 so that these two spout panels are in adjacent juxtaposed relationship. In FIG. 3 spout panel 50 is no longer visible because it is obscured byan overlying spout panel 48.

In FIG. 4 the spout panels 50 and 52 are swung downwardly into closely adjacent overlying relationship with respect to portions of the side panels 32 and 34 respectively, and this folding operation also causes the spout panels 48 and 54 and the attaching flap 55 to be pivoted downwardly against the side panels 32 and 34.

In FIG. 5 the side panel 34 is swung inwardly to a position approximately perpendicular to the side panel 32 about the hinge line connection 59 between these two panels. The hinge line connection 59 between side panels 32 and 34 coincides with the hinge line connection 59a between spout panels 52 and 50 (see FIG. 2) and it also coincides with the overlying hinge line connection 59b between spout panel 48 and the attaching flap 55. The top flap 44 extends under the top panel 42, and the spout panel 52 and flap 55 are swung beneath the attaching spoutflap 56.

In FIG. 6 the container is shown being finished with the attaching flap 45 being swung downwardly and attached to the side panel 36 and the attaching side flap 36a. At the spout end, the spout attaching flap 56 is swung downwardly over the attaching flap 55, and the spout panel 54 is swung upwardly and is adhesively attached to the attaching flaps 55 and 56.

The completed carton body and pour spout are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and are respectively designated by the numerals 60 and 62. The pour spout 62 is shown in its retracted position in FIG. 7 and in its extended position in FIG. 8.

As may be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, when the pour spout 62 is retracted, the exterior faces of the spout are panels 46, 48 and 54. The remaining two panels 50 and 52 of the pour spout are folded downwardly and lie beneath the panels 48 and 54. It is preferred that the spout panels 50 and 52 be releasably and adhesively secured to the underlying carton side panels 32 and 34, respectively, in order to initially hold the pour spout in a retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In order to facilitate disengagement of the pour spout from the side panels 32 and 34 of the carton body, a tear tab 64 may be provided, this tear tab either extending between the folded-down interiorly disposed panels 50 and 52 of the spout and the side panels 32 and 34 of the carton body 01' extending over the folded-down spout. After disengagement from the carton body side panels, the spout may be swung upwardly to its extended position as illustrated in FIG. 8. In this position the pour spout panel 50 forms an upright extension of the panel 32 of the carton body, and the pour spout panel 52 forms an upright extension of the panel 34 of the carton.

In moving from the retracted position shown in FIG.

7 to the extended position shown in FIG. 8, the spout 62 is swung about the hinge line connection 57 which connects the top panel 42 of the carton to the spout, and the spout panels 50 and 52 are swung upwardly about the hinge line connections of these panels to their respective side panels 32 and 34 of the carton body.

In the extended position, the pour spout 62 is in the shape of a trigonal bipyramidal hexahedron formed of six equal isosceles triangles. Five of the six triangular sides of the pour spout are formed by the five panels 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54. The sixth side of the hexahedron is open and is coincident with the isosceles triangular opening in the top of the carton body, this opening being designated by the numeral 66 in FIG. 8. The triangular opening 66 results from the upward swinging movement of the triangular pour spout panel 46 from its normal horizontal position as illustrated in FIG. 7 to its upright position as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The trigonal bipyramidal hexahedron pour spout 62 has two trihedral angles designated by the letters a and b and three tetrahedral angles designated by the letters 0, d and e. The trihedral angle a is formed by the intersection of spout panels 50 and 52 with the opening 66, each of these lying in a plane approximately with respect to one another. Thus the tetrahedral angle a has one side in common with the tetrahedral corner angle of the carton body, i.e., the angle formed by the intersection of side panels 32 and 34 with top panel 42. The side in common, of course, is the opening 66. The second trihedral angle of the pour spout, angle b, is formed by the intersection of the three panels 46, 48 and 54, these panels also being disposed at right angles with respect to one another. The first tetrahedral angle c is formed by the intersection of the opening 66 with the spout panels 46, 52, and 54. The second tetrahedral angle d is formed by the intersection of the opening 66 with the spout panels 46, 48 and 50, and the third tetrahedral angle e is formed by the intersection of the four spout panels 48, 50, 52 and 54. As previously stated, the spout panels 46 through 54 and the opening 66 are isosceles triangles, and in the illustrated embodiment, they are right isosceles triangles with one right angle and two 45 angles.

The pour spout 62 may be returned from its extended to its initial retracted position after use, thereby returning the carton to its normal rectangular hexahedron configuration. In moving from its extended to its retracted position, the spout panels 50 and 52 are actually collapsed inwardly against the spout panels 48 and 54. The spout, when moving between its two positions, will pivot about the fold line connection 57, and there will also be some pivoting at the fold line connections of the panels 50 and 52 with their respective side panels 32 and 34. There will consequently and necessarily be some distortion in the area of the interior tetragonal angle a, and, therefore, the material from which the carton body and pour spout structure is made should be a reasonably flexible material. For this purpose paperboard is found to be quite suitable.

In the illustrated embodiment the carton body 60 itself is a boxlike rectangular hexahedron, although, of course, it is not necessary to the invention that the container structure itself have any special shape except at the corner where the pour spout is mounted. At this corner, it is preferred that the side panels 32 and 34 of the container be at right angles, and it is also preferred that the top panel 42 be at right angles to the two side panels 32 and 34. Thus, the trihedral angle at the corner of the container body 60 at which the pour spout is mounted will have the same right angular configuration as the two trihedral angles a and b of the pour spout 62.

It will be appreciated that the structure illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 may actually be formed from various other blanks, but the end result will be the same, namely, that a trigonal bipyramidal hexahedron pour spout will be formed with one side thereof at least partially open and aligned with and preferably coincident with the opening at one corner of the carton. The contents of the carton body 60 may be poured into the pour spout 62 and will exit through the opening 51 in the pour spout panels 50 and 52. For pouring accuracy it is preferred that this opening be adjacent the tetrahedral angle e which is the outermost tip of the pour spout. It is possible, however, to have the opening in one of the panels 50 or 52, or, if desired, the opening may actually be in one of the exterior panels of pour spout, 48 or 54 or both.

If desired, the pour spout may be formed as a separate unit from the carton and then adhesively attached to the carton. Of course, in such event, the carton would have to be provided with a suitable opening at the corner of the carton to which the pour spout is attached. Such an opening need not, however, be triangular or the same size as the panels of the pour spout, although it is preferred that they be the same size so that the contents of the carton will not be trapped in the pour spout to subsequently interfere with' retraction of the pour spout but rather will be readily returned to the carton when the carton is placed in a normal upright position.

In FIG. 9 there is shown a blank from which may be formed a pour spout for attachment to a corner of a carton body as illustrated in FIG. 15. The pour spout blank of FIG. 9 is formed of panels 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 and 80. In folding this blank to set up the pour spout, the top of the blank is first folded downwardly along a fold line G which joins the panels 75 and 78 to panels 76 and 79 respectively, thereby forming the structure of FIG. 10. The structure of FIG. 10 is then folded along a fold line H which connects the panels 75 and 76 to the panels 78 and79 in a vertical direction, thereby forming the structure of FIG. 11. Panels 70, 71, 73, and 74 are then swung upwardly about a fold line I to the position illustrated in FIG. 12, and panels 70 and 73 are folded inwardly at right angles to panels 71 and 74, with panel 70 thereafter being folded downwardly as shown in FIG. 13.

Panels 77 and 80 are then folded upwardly about a diagonal fold line I (see FIG. 11), and panel 71 is swung downwardly over the top of panel 70 as illustrated in FIG. 14. Thereafter, the remaining panel 80 is folded downwardly over the top of panel 71 to form the finished spout structure 81 illustrated in FIG. 15. It will be noted from FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 that the panels 70, 71 and 80 have diagonal fold lines f, f and respectively, and it will also be noted that as these are panels folded over one another, their fold lines are superimposed over one another. When the pour spout 81 is moved to its upright position corresponding to the position of the spout 62 in FIG. 8, previously described, the pivotal movement will be about the coincidental fold lines f, f" and f just a the pivotal movement of the spout 62 was about the fold line or hinge connection 57.

The pour spout structure 81 is attached to the corner of a carton body 82 as illustrated in FIG. 15. It is preferred that the container have a trihedral angle matching the trihedral angle X of the pour spout structure 81. In order to attach the pour spout structure 81 to the carton body 82, the downwardly depending panels 76 and 79 may be adhesively secured to the respective side panels 82a and 82b of the carton body, and the portion of the panel 70 rearwardly of the fold line f (see FIG. 13) is attached to the top panel 820 of the carton body. It is preferred that the opening in the carton body he the same size as the triangular panels forming the pour spout. The pour spout 81 when raised to its extended position corresponding to that illustrated in FIG. 8 is a hollow trigonal bipyramidal hexadron formed of the six equal isosceles triangles. One side of the hexahedron is open and the other five sides consist of the panels 73 (with panel 77 overlapping), 74, and 78, and the composite panel formed by the overlying triangular portions of panels 70, 71 and 80 which extend between the fold line f, j" and f and the trihedral angle X.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a container carton has been provided with a novel. pour spout which if desired may be formed separately from the container. The pour spout is pivotally movable from a retracted position to an extended position to permit the discharge of the contents of the carton body therethrough. When the pour spout is in its retracted position, it is tightly held against the side of the carton 'body, and the top of the container carton is flat, thereby providing an efficient utilization of space and facilitating the stacking of similar structures. When the pour spout is in the extended position, the tetragonal angle e forms a funnel permitting the accurate discharge of the contents of the container through the pour spout. It will be appreciated that the pour spout and/or the spout and container combination may be formed in a number of ways from a number of different blank configurations. The foregoing description has been given only by way of example, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a container body having a top panel and a pair of adjacent side panels joined to form a trihedral corner angle, said top panel having an opening adjacent said corner angle; a pour spout having a body substantially in the shape of a trigonal bipyramidal hexahedron with six side faces, two trihedral angles and three tetrahedral angles, one side face of said. spout body being at least partially open, said spout body being joined to said container body member with said open face being aligned with the triangular opening in said top panel, each of the first two of said tetrahedral angles being disposed at the juncture of a respective one of said side panels with said top panel and one of the trihedral angles of said spout body having a side in common with the trihedral corner angle of said container body member, at least one of said side faces forming the third tetrahedral angle of said spout body being apertured, whereby the contents of said container body may pass therethrough.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the opening in said top panel is triangular with its apex disposed at the trihedral corner angle of said spout body and each of its base angles being disposed in the plane of a respective one of said adjacent side panels, the open side face of said spout body being coincident with the opening in said top panel and the three side faces of said spout body adjacent said open side face being joined to the openingdefining portions of said container body, whereby two of the tetrahedral angles of said spout body include a respective one of the base angles of said top panel opening and one of the trihedral angles includes the apex angle of said top panel opening.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein that container body is flexible and said spout body is foldable between an extended position and a retracted position about the hinged connection between said top panel and said spout body at the base of the triangular opening.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the three side faces adjacent said triangular top panel opening extend upwardly from the opening-defining portions of said container body when said spout body is in an extended position, and when said spout body is in a retracted position one of said adjacent side faces extends across and closes the triangular opening in said container top panel and the other faces of said spout body extend downwardly therefrom and overlie portions of the adjacent side panels of said container body.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein said pair of adjacent side panels are disposed substantially perpendicularly with respect to one another.

6. The structure of claim 2 wherein said container body is a hexahedron.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said container body is a boxlike rectangular hexahedron.

8. The structure of claim 4 wherein the opening in said container body top panel is an isosceles triangle.

9. The structure of claim 4 wherein said top panel opening and the sides of said spout body are isosceles triangles.

10. The structure of claim 4 wherein said top panel opening and the sides of said spout body are right angled isosceles triangles.

11. The structure of claim 4 wherein said spout body is initially releasably attached to the underlying portions of the container side panels, and means is provided for facilitating the disengagement thereof.

12. The structure of claim 11 wherein said disengagement facilitating means is a tear tab.

13. A container carton comprising a first hollow boxlike member in the shape of a rectangular hexahedron having a top panel and a pair of adjacent side panels forming a trihedral corner angle, said top panel having a right isosceles triangular opening, the apex angle of which is at the trihedral corner of said first member, and each of the base angles of said opening being disposed in the plane of a respective one of said side panels, a hollow pour spout member in the shape of a trigonal 'bipyramidal hexahedron formed of six equal right isosceles triangles of the size of said first member opening, said pour spout having two trihedral angles and three tetrahedral angles, one side face of said spout body being open and being coincident with the triangular opening in said top panel, and the three side faces of said spout member adjacent said one face being hingedly connected to the opening defining portions of said first member, one of said tetrahedral angles of said spout member including one of the base angles of the triangular opening in said top panel and a second of said tetrahedral angles including the other of the base angles of the triangular opening, one of the trihedral angles of said spout member including the apex angle of said triangular opening, said spout member being foldable between an extended position and a retracted position about the hinge connection between said top panel and said spout member at the base of said triangular opening, said spout member when in an extended position having the three side faces thereof adjacent said opening extending upwardly from the opening-defining portions of said first member, and said spout member when in a retracted position having one of said adjacent side faces extending across and closing the triangular opening in said first member top panel with the other of said faces of said spout body extending downwardly therefrom and overlying portions of the adjacent side panels of said container body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,703 11/1942 Ray 229l7 2,565,182 8/1951 Maxon 229l7 2,789,747 4/1957 Graybill 229l7 2,811,297 10/1957 Maxon 229l7 2,928,579 3/1960 Graybill 229l7 3,003,673 10/1961 Clark et al. 229--17 3,059,826 10/1962 Harms 229l7 3,081,927 3/1963 Hayhurst 229l7 3,147,904 9/1964 Larson 229l7 3,232,514 2/1966 Swede et al. 229l7 3,333,758 8/1967 Bachner 229l7 FOREIGN PATENTS 835,957 10/1938 France.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 2297 

